“Same thing,” Meadow muttered, twirling her drink in her hand.
The two of them had been inseparable since middle school. Through bad weaves, the worst exes, and every life detour in between. A version of life without Tia in it full-time felt off balance. Still, Meadow couldn’t help smiling. If anybodydeserved to pack up and ride into a happy ending, it was Tia. Her girl had kissed enough frogs to start her own pond.
Blain, Tia’s husband, leaned over the table. “You can come visit whenever, Meadow. I mean that.”
Her face melted into a grin. “Thank you, Blain. You really are the sweetest.”
Before she could finish the sentence, a warm hand slid up her thigh under the table. Her smile stayed put.
Tia caught it instantly, lifting her brows. “Oh, it’s like that?” she mouthed.
Meadow rolled her eyes, trying not to give away the way her pulse jumped.
Blain’s brother, Brent, had that kind of charm that made women overlook things they shouldn’t. He wasn’t tall, but with Meadow barely reaching five feet, two inches, he towered over her enough. His chain glinted under the outside patio lights, tattoos crawling up one side of his neck. He smelled like lust wrapped in Dior Sauvage, and she’d been telling herself for weeks that was none of her business.
Still…he was fine, and fine men with street money always seemed to know just where to touch a woman.
“You can come with me when I make my way down there,” Brent said, fingers squeezing her thigh just enough to make her leg twitch.
Meadow smirked, scooting closer like the trouble was worth it. “Aren’t you the sweetest?”
“Or Meadow could justflyy’all there,” Tia chimed in, ever the hype woman.
“In the watering plane?” Brent’s brow lifted. “Nah, I’m tryna live, man.”
Meadow turned toward him, one perfectly arched brow raised. “Thewatering plane?” she repeated. “First of all, it’s a crop duster. Second of all, I’ll have you know she still runssmoother than that old school car that needs a jump every other day.”
Brent laughed, holding up his hands. “Aight, chill. I was just sayin’…”
“Uh-huh. You was justhating,” she interrupted. “Don’t be mad ’cause I got my pilot’s license and you got…community service hours.”
Tia spit her drink back into her cup, laughing so hard she nearly knocked it over. “Why you play so much?”
Meadow shrugged, sipping her drink. “I’m just saying, if you can’t fly, don’t talk about my plane.
“Noted,” Brent smirked, his gaze dropping to her mouth. “Guess I’ll let you be the captain then.”
She tilted her head, lips curving. “Good boy.”
Tia fanned herself dramatically. “I’m leaving before this turns into something rated R.”
“You been married three months and already acting brand new,” Meadow teased.
Tia kissed her cheek. “I gotta keep my halo polished.”
Meadow sighed, leaning back in her chair as the music switched to an old 2000s R&B track that always made her feel soft inside. Meadow watched her best friend and her husband laugh together, feeling that mix of pride and loneliness swirl in her chest.
Tia was moving on to the next chapter, and Meadow was still on the same page - working the range, looking after her mama, and pretending she didn’t want more than temporary flings and weekend fun.
“I really didn’t mean no harm, Meadow,” Brent leaned in to whisper over the thump of the music.
Meadow smiled. “I didn’t take it as harm, just drunk banter,” she shrugged.
Brent examined her side profile. Her wild curls were chaotic yet appeared perfect. Her chubby cheeks were defined enough but still so soft that it made her twenty-six-year-old self look no more than twenty, and her lips were painted in something nude making them look lick able.
But her thighs and breasts were what first caught his eye.
Meadow was stunning. Her beauty shined from the inside out and her aura was thick enough to pull you in without her having to do much. Still, make no mistakes in contrast to her feminine traits, Meadow’s mouth was wicked and her left jab was deadly.
